Plans to improve the drinking water system in southern Hillsborough County
Water Resources has several projects underway or planned to improve the drinking water system in southern Hillsborough County. These projects are designed to accommodate current and future demand on the water system, while continuing to protect the health and safety of customers.
- Customers in the southern part of the County are experiencing low water pressure during certain times of day, generally early morning and late afternoon. Increases in water demand in the morning are largely due to the irrigation of landscaping and lawns.
- Additionally, high demand for drinking water in the fast-growing south Hillsborough County area is driving the need for improving long-term water services.
Improving peak water pressure
Water Resources has initiated several projects to improve peak water pressure in 2021:
South County Potable Water Repump Expansion
This includes construction of an additional 3 million gallon storage tank and the installation of two additional pumps to increase water volume availability during peak periods
- Construction in progress
- Scheduled to be completed in December 2021
- Provide short-term relief to low water pressure issue
South County Potable Water In-Line Booster Pump Station
This will provide additional inline water pressure to the system near the intersection of Big Bend Road and Balm Riverview Road
- Construction in progress
- Scheduled to be partially completed in December 2021 and fully completed in August 2022
- Provide short-term relief to low water pressure issue
Decrease lawn and landscaping irrigation
This will be achieved through a temporary ordinance change in order to more evenly distribute demand for potable water during peak use periods.
- Effective Jan. 6, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2022
- Estimated to increase available water in the system by 5 million gallons a day
- Provide short-term relief to low water pressure issue
Accommodating long-term customer growth
A second level of cooperative and Capital Improvement Projects are planned to accommodate long-term customer growth in southern Hillsborough County through 2040.
Construct a new South County Potable Water Treatment Plant
The new plant will be near the intersection of Balm Riverview Road and Balm Boyette Road to provide additional system capacity.
- Add additional pumps and two 5-million-gallon storage tanks
- Construction anticipated to be substantially complete by 2026
- South County Drinking Water Facility Engagement
Construct the new South County Potable Water Transmission Main
The transmission main will be from the Triple Creek area to Balm and Sun City Center areas to facilitate increased pressure and provide redundancy and reliability.
- Add 11.5 miles of new pipeline to expand system capacity
- Scheduled to start construction in 2022 and be completed by early 2024
New Tampa Bay Water projects
This will increase water supply in southern Hillsborough County.
- Decision on new water supply source by 2022 (could be expanded wellfields, surface water plant, or desalinization facility)
- Complete a 5-to-7-million-gallons-a-day in-line booster pump station by late 2024
- Complete new water supply pipelines by late 2028